Rep. Mike Rogers: Stop Saying No to Fighting Terrorists

Michigan Republican Rep. Mike Rogers says he wants to see President Barack Obama stop saying no allies who want help fighting common enemies.

Appearing Sunday on "Face the Nation," the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said he is happy to hear Egypt say it will participate in fighting the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria, but noted that Egypt and others have been told no when asking for American aid in the past.

"This is huge. This is an important development," Rogers said of Egypt's news.

But he added that a few years ago now-President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi asked Obama for help to fight terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula and was told no. "The terrorists said yes," Rogers said.

Then the Arab League asked for help fighting extremists in eastern Syria and were told no. Now, the Islamic State (ISIS) controls much of Syria and Iraq. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has been asking for arms to Russian invaders. "The president said no, the Russians said yes."

Rogers said that as the United States now takes on ISIS in Syria, it is time to start dealing with other threats comprehensively.

"Stop saying no, start saying yes," he said.

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